1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a device for packing liquid crystal cells in at least one horizontal plane extending parallel to the fronts and backs of the cells, comprising at least one cover and at least one packing provided with depressions and consisting of a material having substantially the same thickness as the cells.
2. Description of the Prior Art
When packing liquid crystal cells, it has hitherto been usual to accommodate the liquid crystal cells in the depressions of a blister pack consisting of highly transparent hard PVC of substantially the same thickness such that the fronts and backs of the cells lay in the same horizontal plane. Each blister pack provided with a horizontal layer of cells was then closed with an aluminium foil coated with heat-sealing lacquer. A plurality of sealed blister packs were stacked in a cardboard box, and the filled box was made ready for dispatch by adhesion.
Since liquid-crystal cells are each coated with a polarizer at the front and at the back and possibly also with a reflector at the back, and since these coatings can be extremely easily damaged by mechanical actions, damage to the cells was often unavoidable because of the shaking occurring during transport and the large bearing surface of the polarizers or of the reflector, if the packing somehow was made to lie upside down with the sealed cover downwards. In addition, such sealed packings were difficult to open so that some cells might possibly fall out.
It has likewise been usual to accommodate the liquid crystal cells on edge in a comb groove in an expanded polystyrene box, to close the box with an expanded polystyrene cover, and to fix it with an adhesive tape. The shocks occurring during transport are admittedly largely taken up by the use of the soft expanded polystyrene so that the polarizers and reflectors are substantially protected from mechanical damage, but the cells are soiled by the dust rubbed off the expanded polystyrene during the transport. In addition, a difficult joining is necessary when introducing the cells into the packing and a visual check of the packed cells cannot be carried out.